The play My Children! My Africa!, written in 1989, is set in the year 1984 and explores the uprising of rebel groups against a racist South African government during the apartheid, which lasted from about 1948-1994. The play deals with several issues regarding race, gender and educational values. However, other major world movements were occurring during this time period, many of which help to put the play into some context.
America in the 80's
During this time period, America was struggling with many of these issues itself. Beginning in the late 1800's and stretching for over a half a century, southern American states had imposed “separate but equal” laws upon blacks that forced the use of separate - but not always equal - facilities for blacks and whites. In the 60’s, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave a strong voice to African Americans and encouraged racial equality within the nation, working to put an end to these degrading laws. Although Martin Luther King Jr. profoundly impacted America, his death in 1968 left many unsolved problems for African Americans. The Civil Rights Movement during the 1950’s and 60’s, however, furthered the progress of his dream by ultimately implementing several laws regarding African Americans and White Americans on the same basis. The Equal Opportunity Law of 1964 refused to allow any employer to discriminate against an employee based on race, religion or gender - a huge stride on the path to equality. But even by 1984, several years after the law had been passed, many workplaces unfortunately still discriminated against people of color by refusing to give them work.
Ever since winning the right to vote in 1920s, women had been elevated to a new level as citizens of America. But while most other countries at the time found no division as to which way women voted, America experienced women’s extreme favoring of the democratic party and new ideas of social change. This showed the women of America as progressive and willing to make a difference in their national community, combining their voices on common issues and refusing to ignore the need for national change as proposed on ballots. Also, during the 1990s “women played key and visible roles in the Persian Gulf War…[and] 58.8 percent of women were in the labor force” (James A. Henretta, America: A Concise History). This indicates the direction of women’s progress by the year 1984; clearly not willing to stand by and watch the country reform itself, many women jumped in and became a part of a political and economic national revolution.
Also by 1984, America's educational system was in a major state of reform. When Ronald Reagan was elected President in 1980, he called to attention the need for a stronger educational policy in order to educate the nation's youth and in turn increase the country's global competence. This need, or "risk," was highlighed by the growing number of uneducated adults. The act pointed out startling statistics of America's population, including the fact that "23 million American adults [were] functionally illiterate by the simplest tests of everyday reading, writing, and comprehension" (Ronald Reagan, A Nation At Risk). After the release of this document, America's attitude towards education changed for the better; soon the country's political system was based on the foundation that “America’s schools help strengthen our system of self-government” (George Bush, Proclamation 6067, American Education Week). These changes in the system brought hope and intellectual competence to the youth of America, and catapulted the country into a position of international prominence.
Clearly, in the 1980's, the world was also experiencing educational, ethnic and social change during this time of uprising in South Africa, which helps to put into context the central struggles of the play.
The play My Children! My Africa!, written in 1989, is set in the year 1984 and explores the uprising of rebel groups against a racist South African government during the apartheid, which lasted from about 1948-1994. The play deals with several issues regarding race, gender and educational values. However, other major world movements were occurring during this time period, many of which help to put the play into some context.
America in the 80's
During this time period, America was struggling with many of these issues itself. Beginning in the late 1800's and stretching for over a half a century, southern American states had imposed “separate but equal” laws upon blacks that forced the use of separate - but not always equal - facilities for blacks and whites. In the 60’s, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave a strong voice to African Americans and encouraged racial equality within the nation, working to put an end to these degrading laws. Although Martin Luther King Jr. profoundly impacted America, his death in 1968 left many unsolved problems for African Americans. The Civil Rights Movement during the 1950’s and 60’s, however, furthered the progress of his dream by ultimately implementing several laws regarding African Americans and White Americans on the same basis. The Equal Opportunity Law of 1964 refused to allow any employer to discriminate against an employee based on race, religion or gender - a huge stride on the path to equality. But even by 1984, several years after the law had been passed, many workplaces unfortunately still discriminated against people of color by refusing to give them work.
Ever since winning the right to vote in 1920s, women had been elevated to a new level as citizens of America. But while most other countries at the time found no division as to which way women voted, America experienced women’s extreme favoring of the democratic party and new ideas of social change. This showed the women of America as progressive and willing to make a difference in their national community, combining their voices on common issues and refusing to ignore the need for national change as proposed on ballots. Also, during the 1990s “women played key and visible roles in the Persian Gulf War…[and] 58.8 percent of women were in the labor force” (James A. Henretta, America: A Concise History). This indicates the direction of women’s progress by the year 1984; clearly not willing to stand by and watch the country reform itself, many women jumped in and became a part of a political and economic national revolution.
Also by 1984, America's educational system was in a major state of reform. When Ronald Reagan was elected President in 1980, he called to attention the need for a stronger educational policy in order to educate the nation's youth and in turn increase the country's global competence. This need, or "risk," was highlighed by the growing number of uneducated adults. The act pointed out startling statistics of America's population, including the fact that "23 million American adults [were] functionally illiterate by the simplest tests of everyday reading, writing, and comprehension" (Ronald Reagan, A Nation At Risk). After the release of this document, America's attitude towards education changed for the better; soon the country's political system was based on the foundation that “America’s schools help strengthen our system of self-government” (George Bush, Proclamation 6067, American Education Week). These changes in the system brought hope and intellectual competence to the youth of America, and catapulted the country into a position of international prominence.
Clearly, in the 1980's, the world was also experiencing educational, ethnic and social change during this time of uprising in South Africa, which helps to put into context the central struggles of the play.
[[http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.blairstripsteel.com/map%2520north%2520america.jpg&imgrefurl=http://backreaction.blogspot.com/2006/09/waterloo.html&h=423&w=700&sz=84&hl=en&start=10&tbnid=IK_BjX8b51x6ZM:&tbnh=85&tbnw=140&prev=/images%3Fq%3Damerica%2Bmap%26gbv%3D2%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den|]]
This link will show you more about american pop culture throughout the 80's.
http://kclibrary.nhmccd.edu/decade80.html
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